Bolwell will not be having the Melbourne Motor Show all to themselves, with another Melbourne based car creator set to debut his creation when the show gets underway in late February. Dubbed the E-Vade, it is the brainchild of Lieutenant Commander David Walter, who when he’s not the ship’s engineer on an Anzac class frigate can be found in his shed...building a car.

David has drawn on all of his engineering expertise and lifelong love of cars to create a potent two-seater that is said to be qually at home on the track as is on the road. David hasn’t created E-Vade on his lonesome either, having been ably assisted by his wife Peta. Usually its the wife’s job to force you to sell your toys not begin manufacturing them...

In fact it was Peta who encouraged David to design his own car, rather than build a kit car designed by someone else. Both David and Peta have a great attitude when it comes to the E-Vade project. There is no talk of venture capital or offshore manufacture, in fact, if they end up making and selling any additional E-Vade then “that’s something extra” – this is one car that has been built for the creator to enjoy.

It has been more than five years since David and Peta started talking seriously about building the car, with serious design work starting in 2002 and the first parts built in 2003.

The E-Vade project started in 2002 with the initial design being undertaken initially, which was followed by the first parts being built in 2003. I features a mild steel space-frame chassis clad in fibreglass, and weighs just 950 kg in road-going form and 900 kg as a track car, one of which is being built beside David and Peta's own car.

Motorvation is provided by a Nissan V6 engine, mounted longitudinally behind the driver and modified to produce around 300 kW for the road car. The track car will be fitted with a 500kW version of the same engine...yep...you read that right, 500kW!

Both engines utilize a five-speed transaxle built by Ballarat high-performance gearbox manufacturer and exporter, Albins Off Road Gear and both variants of the E-Vade feature a built-in hydraulic jacking system which can lift the whole car about 20 cm at the press of a button for quick wheel and tyre changes.

If you want to see the E-Vade up close then head along to the Melbourne Motor Show, beginning Friday February 29 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.